Archive for September, 2012

What is the culture and value of a man? We should hold that the real culture of a man is his mental purification and the value is the amount of his spirituality. The truth that the culture of man has reached its zenith in Bharat may be a matter of sarcasm to some people. This is the era of many inventions and investigations. By his intelligence man has invented many new things to enrich his earthly pleasures. Through his intelligence the bombs are produced in this world as destructive weapons. Animals face their enemies and fight with their physical organs. But man, the most intellectual being in the world, wants to use bombs and other things for destruction of his fellowmen. We cannot call such a nature as the culture of man. That is the devilish aspect of the mentality of man. A man with pure sattwic nature is really a cultured man.

Bharat is fortunate indeed in having given birth to great saints like Vyasa, Valmiki, and Shankar; great incarnations like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna who were the embodiments of dharma and love; renowned Pativratas like Sita and Savithri. Even in this scientific era the glorious heritage is not lost in Bharat. Even now, in this twentieth century, her spiritual glory shines through enlightened personages.

In the battle of Kurukshetra where the armies of the Kourawas and Pandavas were facing each other Parthasarathy, the great Lord told his friend Arjuna: “Whenever righteousness declines and wickedness raises its head I take birth to re-establish righteousness”. These lustrous words proclaim the glorious truth, that when spirituality declines, incarnations appear. Avathars are great souls who assumed bodies for the working out a purpose – the uplift of humanity.

To enliven the Pativratya and the dharma of grihasthashram an incarnation has happened in the gracious form of Sadguru Sri Rama Devi. She is a lighthouse to those who long for liberation. From her the words of Parthasarathy flew anew. Do your duties, do your dharma. The law of perfect life is dharma which is inseparable from truth. The imperceptible truth reveals itself to the inner vision of the votary of dharma and the mysterious course of dharma becomes visible to the subtle vision of the worshipper of truth.

It is not easy for one to gain superconsciousness -nirvikalpa Samadhi – even in absolute solitude. But remaining in the environments of home, in the midst of her household duties, Mother attained it. After nirvikalpa samadhi one would be unable to come back to one’s physical state and to do one’s duties on earth. But Mother is still amidst us and is working in this world for the spiritual uplift of those groping in the darkness of samsara. She is incarnated divinity; an embodiment of love and dharma. She gives the helping hand across the eddying waters to reach the other shore of samsara. She gives spiritual guidance. She teaches domestic and social duties in the light of spirituality. Her love is to gladden the present and light to illuminate the dark pathways of the future.

What is the culture and value of a man? We should hold that the real culture of a man is his mental purification and the value is the amount of his spirituality. The truth that the culture of man has reached its zenith in Bharat may be a matter of sarcasm to some people. This is the era of many inventions and investigations. By his intelligence man has invented many new things to enrich his earthly pleasures. Through his intelligence the bombs are produced in this world as destructive weapons. Animals face their enemies and fight with their physical organs. But man, the most intellectual being in the world, wants to use bombs and other things for destruction of his fellowmen. We cannot call such a nature as the culture of man. That is the devilish aspect of the mentality of man. A man with pure sattwic nature is really a cultured man.

Bharat is fortunate indeed in having given birth to great saints like Vyasa, Valmiki, and Shankar; great incarnations like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna who were the embodiments of dharma and love; renowned Pativratas like Sita and Savithri. Even in this scientific era the glorious heritage is not lost in Bharat. Even now, in this twentieth century, her spiritual glory shines through enlightened personages.

In the battle of Kurukshetra where the armies of the Kourawas and Pandavas were facing each other Parthasarathy, the great Lord told his friend Arjuna: “Whenever righteousness declines and wickedness raises its head I take birth to re-establish righteousness”. These lustrous words proclaim the glorious truth, that when spirituality declines, incarnations appear. Avathars are great souls who assumed bodies for the working out a purpose – the uplift of humanity.

To enliven the Pativratya and the dharma of grihasthashram an incarnation has happened in the gracious form of Sadguru Sri Rama Devi. She is a lighthouse to those who long for liberation. From her the words of Parthasarathy flew anew. Do your duties, do your dharma. The law of perfect life is dharma which is inseparable from truth. The imperceptible truth reveals itself to the inner vision of the votary of dharma and the mysterious course of dharma becomes visible to the subtle vision of the worshipper of truth.

It is not easy for one to gain superconsciousness -nirvikalpa Samadhi – even in absolute solitude. But remaining in the environments of home, in the midst of her household duties, Mother attained it. After nirvikalpa samadhi one would be unable to come back to one’s physical state and to do one’s duties on earth. But Mother is still amidst us and is working in this world for the spiritual uplift of those groping in the darkness of samsara. She is incarnated divinity; an embodiment of love and dharma. She gives the helping hand across the eddying waters to reach the other shore of samsara. She gives spiritual guidance. She teaches domestic and social duties in the light of spirituality. Her love is to gladden the present and light to illuminate the dark pathways of the future.

Madam does God exist? If so where is he?” one of the students asked me this question. From my very childhood I had been convinced that not only God does exist but that He is the inner ruler of the countless universes. But we cannot see Him with this mortal vision, so long as our hearts remain coated with impurity.

On that day also when my student asked me the above question, I was not able to answer for half a minute. I tried to answer in a way, which would appeal to him. ‘God exists in the heart of all beings, but he is fully manifest in that man who loves the entire creation as himself.’ My answer kept that boy just quiet, as if he agreed to it, and I too was satisfied with that answer.

Such a holy Being in whom God is manifest in all perfection is Sadguru Sri Rama Devi. To get at least a partial glimpse of the divinity embodied in her is to become perfect ourselves. My parents who were the devotees of Mother and were also the members of the bhaktha mandali, Bombay, had gone on pilgrimage to places like Pandharpur, Madras, Trivandrum and Trichur in connection with religious conferences and other celebrations conducted in honour of Mother. They used to tell me interesting incidents of her bestowal of grace, and naturally I had a great longing to have darsan.

The wheel of destiny turned in my favour and in the year 1952, which was the most memorable year in my life, I had the darsan of Mother. When I first saw her, incidents which my parents used to tell us about her, came up instantaneously before my mind’s eye. The divine splendor, the overflowing grace, indicated her immeasurable greatness. I saw an aura of holiness. Whosoever went near was profoundly influenced. When I sat before her, listening to her, I felt irresistible attraction. She appeared as love incarnate, an inseparable mother to me not only in this life but in the past countless births.

I admit I had not done sadhana as directed during her visit to Bombay. I had to undergo sufferings. In fact, life itself became living death. There was none to sympathise. In such a frame of mind, I remembered Mother’s gracious form and her words of wisdom. At once I experienced peace and solace coming to me from an unknown source. Often I felt her guidance and was encouraged. I longed to spend a few days in the holy presence and waited for the approach of the periodical sadhana mandir session eagerly. But Mother is supremely compassionate. She takes a hundred steps towards the child when the child takes only one. An opportunity presented itself when I heard that she had come to Bangalore. I reached Bangalore on the 10th October 1959. There were crowded programmes of bhajans and discourses by Mother. Though she spoke in Canarese, a language alien to me, her power enabled me to grasp the substance. This is an experience which several of her children shared.

One day I was closeted with her for an interview. Even without my telling her, she divined the state of frustration which had overpowered my mind. Looking intently into my eyes, she said: “Obey your parents. They always mean well for you. Respect their decisions. Misery accrues from the violation of their wishes.” I was shocked to hear this utterance. In a matter of vital importance, I had disregarded my mother’s instructions and had acted according to my whims to gratify my own personal wish. I realized my folly and in a mood of utter repentance I prostrated before the all-knowing. Seeing drops of tears in my eyes welling up, the compassionate Mother, in a tone ringing with sympathy and love consoled me. A load was lifted from my mind. A prayer arose from the depth of my heart.